Combined boat hook and paddle



April 24, 1962 P. D. AKE 3,030,641

COMBINED BOAT HOOK AND PADDLE Filed July 15, 1960 INVENTOR fkuz .2456

ATTORNEY States My invention relates to new and useful improvements in a combined boat hook and paddle.

In a patent granted to me on March 1, 1955, No. 2,702,910, there is shown a combined boat hook and oar paddle which consists of three pieces, a handle, a blade and a hook; whereas in the present invention, I contemplate making an integral structure.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a socalled foot at the bottom edge of the blade which extends outwardly about one inch on both sides at right angles to the blade or the paddle so that these outward projections of the foot might be slipped over the gunnel of another boat; while at the forward end of the foot there is a projection and cut-out portion so that the same may be slipped over a rope.

Also, the foot being of much greater width than the edge of the paddle, it permits the combined boat hook and paddle to be used as a push pole if the boat should be run up on a mud or sand bank, as it provides a greater surface for contact with the mud or sand than would just the edge of the paddle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combined boat hook and paddle which may be made of plastic, such as synthetic rubber, and thus molded; or, if desired, it could be made out of wood.

Still another object of the invention is to have the foot slightly concave in its lower surface, that is, from front to rear, so that when it is used as a push pole and driven into the mud or sand, to move the boat there is no great suction on the bottom of the foot.

By providing a foot with slightly arcuate edges, it will have more surface connection if the combined boat hook and paddle is used to push the boat away from a circular piling.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combined boat hook and paddle made of one piece, preferably of plastic, which will be sufiiciently strong to perform the desired functions and will not tend to mar another boat if used to push the users boat away from another boat.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in certain new and novel arrangements and combination of parts as will hereinafter be more fully explained and pointed out in the claims.

Referring now to the drawings, showing a preferred embodiment,

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation 'of my combined boat hook and paddle,

FIG. 2 is a similar view but taken at right angles to FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now, for the moment, to FIGS. 1 and 2, there may be seen the shaft 1, which is cupped or cut out at its upper or proximal end as at 2, similar to the way a canoe paddle is made, and then the shaft 1 starts to widen out as at 3 at some distance from its lower or distal end to form the blade 4.

It will be noticed that the blade 4 is cut on an inclined angle as at 5 at its forward edge; and at the bottom edge of the blade 4 is what I term the foot 6, which, as may be seen from FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, extends to both sides of the blade 4 as this is the part that forms a hook, if it is to be passed over the gunnel of a boat.

atent 0 3,030,641 Patented Apr. 24, 1962 ice It will also be seen that in the forward end of the foot 6 there is a cut-out portion 7 with a slightly upwardly extending lip 8 so that if the combined boat hook and paddle is turned edgewise and passed over a rope, the rope will not slip out of the notch 7.

The bottom 9 of the foot 6 is slightly arcuate or concave from front to rear, which serves two purposes: one, that it will present a slightly greater contact if used to push against a round piling; and second, if it is used as a push pole and driven into the sand or mud at an angle, bottom suction is more readily broken, thus permitting easier disengagement of the device from a muddy bottom or bank.

Although I have mentioned my structure as a combined boat hook and paddle, it will be understood that it can also be used with advantage at times as a push pole. Actually, the combined boat hook and paddle is about five feet in length and, of course, is generally used on smaller boats that have out-board motors.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have devised a combined boat hook and paddle, thus doing away with the necessity of small boats having both a boat hook and a separate paddle.

Furthermore, I have constructed a foot at the bottom edge of the paddle that may be turned sideways to hook over the gunnel of a nearby boat, or may be turned so that it may be quickly slipped over a rope to pull the boat towards the same; and by having the enlarged foot at the bottom of the paddle, it may be effectively used as a push pole to help push the boat oif a sand bar or off a muddy bank.

Finally, by making a combined boat hook and paddle out of a synthetic plastic, or wood, it will be relatively light in weight, strong enough to perform the functions, and will not mar the paint on a boat if it is used to push the users boat away from a nearby boat.

Having thus described my invention, what I consider :as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A combined boat hook and paddle, comprising a main shaft, widening out at its lower or distal end to form a blade; an integral foot extending out about an inch on each side of the blade, with upper flat surfaces to act as a hook, the front of the blade cut away to form a notch at an inclined angle to the foot, and the foot being cut away to form a notch at its forward end so the same can be conveniently hooked over a rope.

2. A combined boat hook and paddle, including a main shaft, the shaft widening out at its lower or distal end about a foot or two from the bottom to form a blade; an integral foot formed on the bottom edge of the blade, having upper flat surfaces extending at right angles to the vertical axis of the blade; the blade cut on the front edge at an inclined angle towards the foot to form a notch at its lower edge, and the foot having a notch with an upper extending lip so that the samemay be conveniently hooked over a rope.

3. A combined boat hook and paddle, comprising a main shaft, widening out at its lower end to form a blade, with an integral foot extending to each side of the blade so the same may be conveniently passed over a gunnel, the blade being cut away on its front edge near its lower edge at an inclined angle to form a notch, the foot also having a cut-out portion and an upwardly extending lip to form a notch so that the same can be conveniently passed over a rope; and the bottom edges of the foot being slightly arcuate from front to rear, whereby if the same is pushed into mud or sand at an angle, there will be no suction between the foot and the mud or sand.

4. A combined boat hook and paddle, including a shaft, with its lower end widening out to form a blade; an integral foot, oblong in top plan, extending outwardly from each side of the blade, with flat upper surfaces and slightly concave on its bottom; the foot cut away slightly at its forward portion to form a notch, and the blade cut on an inclined angle towards the cut-out portion to form a notch, whereby the combined boat hook and paddle may be conveniently passed over the gunnel of a boat.

5. A combined boat hook and paddle, made of one piece of synthetic plastic, the combined boat hook and paddle comprising a main shaft, wideningv at its lower distal end to form a blade; an integral foot extending beyond both sides of the blade, with flat uppersurfaces and concave under surface; the blade cut inwardly at an inclined angle to form a notch; the foot at its forward end having a notch therein, with an upwardly extending lip; the under surface of the foot being slightly concave so that if the same is used as a push pole, bottom suction is more readily broken, thus permitting easier disengagement of the combined boat hook and paddle firom a muddy bottom or bank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

